Cheyenne Frontier Days

Cheyenne Frontier Days, held annually since 1897, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, claims to be one of the largest outdoor rodeo and western celebrations in the world. The event, which occurs during 10 days centered around the last full week in July, draws close to 200,000 people to the area every year.^[1] Lodging fills up quickly during the peak tourist season throughout southern and eastern Wyoming and even into Colorado and Nebraska.

Frontier Park

Champion Lane Frost

Overview

The event features nightly concerts by popular music and comedy acts, a midway, a fair with rides, games, and food vendors, wild west shows featuring Western riding, an Indian village, and a large PRCA/PBR nationally sanctioned rodeo. A common moniker for the event is 'The Daddy of 'em All', based on its long history and the fact that the rodeo is billed as the largest such event in the world.

The event also features free pancake breakfasts sponsored by the local Kiwanis chapter. They are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with nearly 40,000 people taking advantage of this every year. In one week, over 100,000 pancakes are served, along with 3,000 pounds of ham. On the alternate days, the city of Cheyenne hosts a parade. Other attractions include the Native American Village that is free and open daily. Here visitors can experience the traditional Native American culture including pow wows and demonstrations. Not far from the village is Wild Horse Gulch. This is also a free area where visitors can get a feel for the Old West and its traditions.

The rodeo and the majority of the events are centered around the property of Frontier Park, but some of the events such as the pancake breakfasts are held in a different part of the city. The next event will be July 23- August 1, 2010, and that will be its 114th celebration.^[2]

Another annual event is an air show featuring the United States Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, which takes place on Wednesday. The Thunderbirds share a long history with Cheyenne Frontier Days as they made their public debut there in 1953 and have continued to perform regularly since then. The ground portion of this show along with static displays and flying of other aircraft takes place on the United States Air National Guard side of the Cheyenne Regional Airport. The Thunderbirds' main aerobatic display is performed over the campus at the Laramie County Community College.

The rodeo draws visitors from different parts of the United States as well as international visitors. These visitors generally stay in hotels, motels, or in recreational vehicles. Temperatures around 27 degrees C (81 degrees F) and fair weather are normal for the time of year when this event is held.

Cowboy style bars and country and western themed establishments scattered throughout the city of Cheyenne are popular with many rodeo fans and participants, and they file in in large numbers after the night shows.^[3]

In 1996, Shirley E. Flynn of Cheyenne completed the history of Frontier Days, entitled Let's Go! Let's Show! Let's Rodeo! The History of Cheyenne Frontier Days. The book declares that the celebration was a full success from the first year.^[4]

Beginning in 1908, an annual train has carried travelers between Denver, Colorado's Union Station and Cheyenne Depot Museum.^[5] It typically consists of Union Pacific 844, a Union Pacific water car, a helper diesel engine, a tool car, and 18 passenger cars. The train is on display in Denver at Union Station the day before and the day after the trip to Cheyenne.

Animal Welfare Concerns

Cheyenne Frontier Days is coming under increasing pressure from animal welfare experts, exposing animal cruelty at the event. During the 2011 Frontier Days, at least 5 horses were injured and killed and a similar number of calves and steers.^[6][7][8]

See also

• Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
• Professional Bull Riders, Inc.
• National Finals Rodeo
• Rodeo bareback rigging
• Wyoming Transportation Museum
• Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
• Livestock
• Bonnie McCarroll
• Dan Collins Taylor

References

1. ^ http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=101546
2. ^ http://www.cfdrodeo.com/index.aspx
3. ^ http://www.cheyenne.org/listings/index.cfm?action=showSub&catID=6&subcatID=23&startrange=All&endrange=All&substart=M&subend=S&notify=1
4. ^ "Shirley E. Flynn". Wyoming Authors.org. http://wiki.wyomingauthors.org/Shirley+Flynn. Retrieved May 13, 2009. 
5. ^ "Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days Train". http://www.cfdtrain.com/CFDTrain/Welcome.html. Retrieved July 26, 2010. 
6. ^ "Another Horse Apparently Killed at the Cheyenne Rodeo and the Cowardly Cover-Up Caught on Tape". ShameOnCheyenne.com. http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000454. Retrieved Jul 31, 2011. 
7. ^ "Another Dead 2011 Cheyenne Rodeo Horse". youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiPKMSJriYg. Retrieved Jul 31, 2011. 
8. ^ "American Sport: Animal Cruelty at 2011 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo". liveleak.com. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ce1_1311632520. Retrieved Jul 31, 2011. 

External links

• Cheyenne Frontier Days website
• Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)
• Professional Bull Riders, Inc.
• NFR website

Coordinates: 41°8′44″N 104°48′7″W / 41.14556°N 104.80194°W / 41.14556; -104.80194